WellPoint adopting parts of breast cancer act

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Health insurer WellPoint Inc will implement key provisions of a proposed law designed to protect breast cancer patients, in a new effort to highlight its standard of care for policyholders.

Beginning July 1, WellPoint said it will standardize clinical guidelines for women recovering from mastectomy to offer a voluntary 48-hour minimum hospital stay.

The vast majority of WellPoint's members already receive the standard of care indicated in the legislation, the company said, but it believes applying the provision widely will encourage others in the industry to adopt it as well.

Other provisions of the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act introduced by U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro include more transparent benefit language.

WellPoint has come under heavy criticism from lawmakers and President Barack Obama's administration following a Reuters article last month that said the company used computer algorithms to target women with breast cancer for an investigation, with the intent of canceling their policies.

WellPoint called the report inaccurate, but Reuters has stood by the story.

It has also been asked by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee to explain flawed calculations that led the company to propose a 39 percent premium rate hike for some members in California.

The insurer has since taken steps to improve its coverage policies, including the early adoption of provisions to end rescission under U.S. healthcare reform.

DeLauro on Wednesday hailed WellPoint's move, saying the insurer is guaranteeing patients "will have the freedom to discuss their treatment options with their physician without worrying about being discharged from the hospital before they are ready."